


Another Video

by anidalah



Series: Bad Things Happen Prompt Bingo - Nathan in the Dark Room [3]
Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: All of the Other Reindeer, Bad Things Happen Bingo, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Canon, platonic grahamscott
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:55:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23897146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anidalah/pseuds/anidalah
Summary: After the millionth time of it happening, Warren wondered why it still bothered him so.
Relationships: Warren Graham & Nathan Prescott
Series: Bad Things Happen Prompt Bingo - Nathan in the Dark Room [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1480541
Comments: 3
Kudos: 12





	Another Video

**Author's Note:**

> I finished writing this in January and I have absolutely no idea why I didn't post it. It mentions the previous work in the "Bad Things Happen" prompt Bingo thing but you don't actually have to read it as it's super brief. I'm thinking I want to connect all the stories in this prompt bingo but I don't know if I want to commit to that. Feel free to request something from the card on my tumblr (Kimlovesgrahamscott).

After the millionth time of it happening, Warren wondered why it still bothered him so. It was a damned cliche that had died in most of the rest of the world but apparently not at Blackwell Academy. This wasn't some shitty 80s or 90s movie and yet it was very much his reality. The jocks ruled the school, getting away with murder so long as they kept scoring on the field, which also allowed them to score off the field. He, the quintessential nerd, was at the bottom of the totem pole both figuratively and literally. His head knocked against the Tobanga on his way down, the wood scraping against his forehead before he landed with his face collapsing in a puddle of mud.

Great. Just great. The chorus of laughs added insult to injury. He knew the tears in his eyes weren’t completely due to the impact to his nose; it made him happy that it perpetually rained in upper Oregon. He couldn’t give them the satisfaction of knowing they’d made him teary eyed.

At first, he didn’t bother to try to get back up. What was the point? He was just going to get knocked down again. He normally would get right back up, fruitlessly try to defend himself against the bullies. It had been an especially brutal week, though. There was some fuel that had been added to the fire because he’d been a fucking idiot.

His relationship with alcohol had never been good. He was a lightweight, regardless of how much or how little he’d regularly consumed. But he’d had a beer or two. And a shot of tequila. And one of vodka. But everyone else had done that or more, so he didn’t think it was a big deal at the time. It wasn’t until the next morning that he woke up 65 messages pertaining to a video of him and Luke, making out on the bean bag chair in the corner of Justin’s room that he’d realized that he’d fucked up.

Apparently, no one had learned a thing after Kate’s video.

A foot collided with his ribs as he’d heard the slur he’d become so accustomed to lately: Faggot. People, mostly Logan, had referred to him as such before but it was never that often. The bullying had never been that severe. Even as his assailants walked away, leaving him alone in the rainy dusk, Warren knew he wouldn’t be safe for long. Hiding in his room for the weekend seemed like the best course of action but getting in there would be a problem. The dorm halls would be crowded until the Vortex Club party started, and that still wouldn’t be for another few hours. Luckily, it would be somewhere off of campus and maybe some of them wouldn’t be there over the weekend. He could hope. It wasn’t like he had anywhere else he could go; things would be more painful if he returned home, and he’d just have to return to Blackhell on Monday.

Warren felt heavy when he got up, the rain hurrying its pace. By the time he snuck into his dorm room by climbing through the window, he was soaked. Wishing he could go take a shower, he knew all he could do was get the wet clothes off. The shower would have to happen later. He stripped his clothes off carefully, not wanting to have to clean up any mud that may drip off it he was sloppy. He caught a glimpse in the mirror as he went to grab his towel, seeing bruises already forming on his ribs. Great. Fucking fantastic. Another wound to add to his black eye and busted lip. Plus a broken phone, a ruined shirt, and lost friendships.

Brooke avoided him since the video was leaked, barely acknowledging his existence in the halls before going the opposite direction of wherever he was going. The few things Luke said to him weren’t the nicest things in the word, alluding that Warren had taken advantage of him when they had both been blackout drunk. Nathan had been something of a friend since he’d had that break-down in science class but now Nathan refused to say anything to him. He might as well not exist.

That’s exactly what Warren tried to do, eventually falling asleep after exhausting himself with silent tears. It was past midnight when he woke up, wanting nothing more than to take a shower while he could sneak through the hallway in the dark. He sighed in relief when he’d safely made his way back into his room after a steamy shower and a hasty pre-bedtime routine. He didn’t even make it to the bed before there was a knock on his door. He stopped in his tracks, hoping that someone had drunkenly staggered into his door. But no, it was a knock and it came again. The third knock was accompanied by a whisper.

“Graham, it’s me.”

Warren squinted in the dark as he walked back to his door, resting his hand on the doorknob but unsure if he should let Nathan in. What he deserved was solitude but what he wanted was a shoulder to cry on and a warm body next to him for the night. Besides, he knew that Nathan understood, at least somewhat. During the trial, the nature of Nathan and Jefferson's relationship was broadcast for all to see. It was apparent that Nathan was in love with his mentor though Jefferson let it be known that in all actuality those feelings had never been reciprocated. If everyone wasn't afraid of Nathan after the events of the dark room had become public knowledge, Nathan would've surely endured the same ridicule that Warren was facing.

He flicked on the light before opening the door, pulling Nathan into the room so he could shut the door and lock it as quickly as possible. The last thing he needed was someone spotting a guy coming into his room in the middle of the night because he knew exactly what that would look like. He didn't need anything else to fuel that fire.

"How are you doing?" Nathan asked as he took a seat on Warren's couch, trying his best to still the restlessness in his legs.

"How the fuck do you think I'm doing?" Warren snapped before he even had a chance to think about a proper response. There was no reason to be a dick to Nathan; he hadn't really done anything. He sighed, his fingers carding through the back of his hair. He groaned, "I'm sorry-"

"Bruh, it's fine." From the tone in his voice, Warren could tell Nathan'd meant that. He adjusted and readjusted his legs, unable to find a comfortable way to sit. He was both tired and wide-awake, his anxiety keeping him up far longer than he should've been. "I fucked up."

"You weren't the one who posted the video."

Nathan growled, not wanting to elaborate on why he felt guilty. His court-appointed therapist had been working with him on accountability and advised him to at least explain to Warren what was going on. Nathan didn't give a single tap-dancing fuck if Warren was gay or bi or what-the-fuck-ever. He himself was, well, he didn't really know but he sure as shit wasn't straight. Everyone knew that. No one said anything because after the Dark Room scandal got blown open, people were legitimately afraid of him, but he didn't want to do anything that could cause him to become a target. He was constantly on the edge and any little thing could tip him over; he didn't need to face the harassment that Warren was going through. There was no way he'd be able to handle that. Yet, he still felt a heaviness in his belly and a lump in his throat.

"Still I," Nathan groaned again, the lump in his throat thick, "...you were there when I needed someone and I couldn't return the favor." He cleared his throat, eyes averting to anywhere but Warren's. He grabbed his phone, looking at the clock but not really checking the time.

"Nathan…"

Nathan cleared his throat once again before asking, "So how are you doing? Wait, that's a fucking stupid question. God damn it!" He mussed his hair as a shaking hand went through it. "I guess, fuck, I don't know. I'm here for you or some shit like that. I mean I haven't been but I'm gonna try to be now. I mean, I will be."

"Nathan, please just stop." Nathan's nervous energy was radiating off of him and heightening Warren's ever-present anxiety. Warren sat on the couch next to Nathan and leaned against him. "Can we just… sit here in silence until I'm calm enough to fall asleep?"

That was something Nathan knew he could do.


End file.
